A Functional Food: Quinoa

Abstract

Originating from agriculture of Andean cultures in South America, quinoa is a dicotyledonous plant that is attracting attention as a novel functional food worldwide. Although the systematical and morphological features of quinoa differ from traditional grains, Amaranthaceae family originated quinoa has been incorporated into whole grains group. Quinoa is composed of high-quality protein which is equal to the quality of casein, unsaturated fatty acids which are similar to composition of oilseeds, fiber, a variety of vitamins and highly bioavailable minerals. In addition, quinoa is a good source of phytochemicals including saponins, phytosterols, phytoecdysteroids and bioactive peptides. In vitro studies and a limited number of in vivo animal studies and clinical studies indicated that these bioactive compounds may exert beneficial effects on reducing the risk of metabolic complications such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. This review aims to provide an evaluation of nutritional characteristics, bioactive content and possible health effects of quinoa. There is a justified need for well-designed clinical trials demonstrating possible health effects of quinoa and its components, to determine the most effective translational applications of quinoa based on solid scientific evidence.